The No Huddle Episode 11-06

It’s week 6 in the NFL, and of course, Fantasy Football.

Dan Koabel was on the podcast this week. We discussed reaping the benefits of a good draft, and the peace of mind that comes with it. We also got some insight on the New York Giants.

Considering who to sit and who to start? Here’s some helpful information:

RB Rashard Mendenhall will start versus the Jacksonville Jaguars who are 10^th against the run, allowing 3 TDs on the ground so far in 2011.

RB Joseph Addai is out versus Cincinnati. Delone Carter and Donald Brown will take up the slack. The Bengals are 7^th against the rush, allowing 4 TDS, and the Colts are 30^th in rushing, with but two TDs. It would be wise to look elsewhere for an running back this week.

RB Tim Hightower is expected to play, but may share time with Ryan Torrain who had a huge game in week 4. Looks like a committee is forming in D.C.

RB Ernest Graham will get the start for the Bucs versus the Saints on Sunday.

RB Peyton Hillis is expected to see more action this Sunday at Oakland, but stay away from the Browns if you can. This is the first home game following the passing of Raiders’ owner Al Davis, and there will be plenty of emotion in the stadium. This also goes for WR Greg Little who was elevated to starter, and QB Colt McCoy who other wise would have been a good bye week options.

WR Lee Evans is likely out for the Ravens. With Derrick Mason off to play for the Texans, it looks like rookie Torrey Smith looks like a good sleeper option.

TE Heath Miller is a good option this week if you’re in a pinch.

This is the second week of BYES. Cardinals, Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Seahawks, and Titans are off. Adjust your rosters accordingly.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

Don’t to forget to check out our other podcast, PF’s Tape Recorder.

The No Huddle Episode 11-05

It’s week 5 in the NFL, and of course, Fantasy Football.

Mark Chalifoux was on the podcast this week. We discussed the bumps in the road many people have been experiencing this season, and what to do about them.

Considering who to start and who to sit? The following information may help:

RB Brandon Jacobs is doubtful for Sunday with a mildly sprained ankle.

RB Isaac Redman will start for the ailing Rashard Mendenhall. Mendenhall may see some action in the game as a back-up.

QB Curtis Painter will again start for the Colts Sunday. Good news for WR Pierre Garcon owners. You’d think for Reggie Wayne owners as well. The Chiefs, while looking better, are still quite suspect on D.QB Matt Cassell and WR Steve Breaston are possible sleepers.

While the heat continues to increase on QB Tony Romo, he is still the starter, and he has loads of talented people to throw to, however he has the week off due to the bye.

Looking to replace a struggling, dinged-up, or disappointing QB? Tavaris Jackson seems like a solid, if not overwhelming, option. The whole Seahawk offense seems to be responding to a, er, uh no huddle offense.

This is the first week of BYES. Ravens, Browns, Redskins, Cowboys, Dolphins, Rams are off. Adjust your rosters accordingly.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

Don’t to forget to check out our other podcast, PF’s Tape Recorder.

The No Huddle Episode 11-04

It’s week 4 in the NFL, and of course, Fantasy Football.

“Philly” Dave was on the podcast this week. We discussed the situation in Philadelphia, or “situations,” as Dave pointed out. Also, we addressed the reports that QB Carson Palmer may be headed to Miami. As usual this blog post updates the current of The No Huddle.

He’s our Tony Randall, “Philly” Dave is. Fans of David Letterman will remember that years ago when a guest cancelled on the talk show host at the last minute, they would call Tony Randall who lived only a few blocks from the studio. Our Dave stepped in when a comedian we had scheduled never called back to confirm.

However, that worked out in our favor as “Philly” Dave always has great insight, and as a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles can give us timely insight on that team and its players. We also discussed the Carson Palmer to Miami rumors, as we have both lived in Cincinnati for nearly 20 years.

Meanwhile here are the post-show updates:

WR Reggie Wayne is lobbying hard for QB Curtis Painter to get the start. For a guy that rarely takes a snap, even in practice, Painter seemed to look fairly comfortable replacing a dinged-up Kerry Collins. This would also seem to indicate a solid relationship between Wayne and Painter which bodes well for Wayne owners. Keep an eye on Painter if he does the start, which looks likely.

QB Michael Vick will wear a Kevlar glove to protect his injured non-throwing hand Sunday. WR Jeremy Maclin plans to play as well.

TE Antonio Gates is not expected to play Sunday. His back-up Randy McMicael is a great option, as he caught a lot of passes in pre-season. Yes, pre-season is rubbish, but it’s the same offense. McMichael had 4 receptions for 51 yards against Kansas City. The Dolphins gave up a few to TE’s Evan Moore and Benjamin Watson of the Browns.

RB Ryan Grant may be a no-go on Sunday as well. That means more work for RB James Starks.

RB Arian Foster is set to return to the Tecans backfield, meaning fewer carries for Ben Tate. However, Tate may be inserted near the goal line. Foster’s hamstring may flare up again as well.

RB Ryan Mathews is nursing a sore foot much like his teammate Antonio Gates, but Mathews expects to play Sunday.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

Don’t to forget to check out our other podcast, PF’s Tape Recorder.

The No Huddle Episode 11-03

It’s week 3 in the NFL, and of course, Fantasy Football.

Comedian Josh Sneed was on the podcast this week. Josh discussed the ups and downs of the season’s first two weeks, plus we talked a little baseball. I also told Josh about my back-up plan for fantasy football, had the NFL labor dispute not been settled. As usual this blog post updates the current of The No Huddle.

Apparently we’ve had an offensive explosion, though looking at our fantasy league it’s hard to tell. Points are up, but that is likely due to the fact that we added a flex position and adopted points per reception (ppr) category. One thing that is noticeably different is the closeness of the games in our league.

In the real world, it seems QBs threw for a record 7,800 yards in week 1, and eclipsed that in week 2 with 7900, according to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg.

Since your league’s scoring system is probably a little different, this might not reflect what’s happening with you and your friends, but in our league the top 10 QBs are:

1. Tom Brady

2. Drew Brees

3. Cam Newton

4. Matthew Stafford

5. Ryan Fitzpatrick

6. Aaron Rodgers

7. Chad Henne

8. Tony Romo

9. Jason Campbell

10. Michael Vick

Keep in mind we award 6 for a TD, where most leagues I believe only give 4. Still I was surprised to see Cam Newton at 3 (we take away 2 for an INT---he's had a few). I may offer Ryan Fitzpatrick in trade for a solid RB. Thoughts? My other QB is Colt McCoy, 19 in the rankings. Do I gamble on Brady’s health? I have no solid starter at RB.

Speaking of RBs

RB Adrian Foster is still dealing with a strained hamstring, meaning Ben Tate will again see a lot of the ball on Sunday. The latest: Foster will not dress for Sunday’s game according to NFL.com.

RB Peyton Hillis is trying to fend of a strep infection and fever. He is still listed as questionable. Montario Hardesty is his back-up.

RB Ced Benson will be suspended for 3 games, but he will likely file an appeal that will allow him to play this Sunday against San Francisco. Many experts say sit him however he is not in a committee and will likely get most of the carries when the Bengals run.

Both Rams RBs are banged up. Steven Jackson is going to be a game-time decision, and back-up Cadillac Williams is being bothered by a hamstring injury.

The Chiefs are working out RBs to replace Jamal Charles. Mike Cox, Jalen Parmele, Dimitri Nance, Sammy Morris and Chris Jennings are all under consideration. Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones seem to be in the nest position to pick up the carries, but the Chiefs passing offense is so bad, that’s not going to fool anyone as D’s will key on the Chiefs’ backfield.

TE Antonio Gates continues to be bothered by that foot injury that gave him so much trouble last season. This just in via Yahoo!, according to NBC sports Gates will not play. Need a replacement:

Evan Moore, Browns

Benjamin Watson, Browns

Jeff King, Cardinals

Brandon Pettigrew, Lions

Tony Schefler, Lions

The problem is, none of these guys will give you the WR-type numbers Gates does. Also, with Moore and Watson, as well as Pettigrew and Schefler, you have a committee. Give the edge to Moore and Schefler respectively.

QB Tim Tebow tells NFL.com he is not a wide-out, but how fascinating is that if you have a flex position in your league? In Yahoo! he is still listed as QB only, but is eligible for receiving yards.

Tony Romo and Michael Vick plan to start this week. Very dicey choices here. If you have a viable second QB, you may want to use him. Either one of these guys could get knocked out of their respective games.

A great place to get the latest injury updates is NFL.com. The site updates injuries an hour before kick-off.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

The No Huddle Episode 11-02

It’s week 2 in the NFL, of course, Fantasy Football.

Bil Dwyer was on the podcast this week. Bil’s not a FF player, and he explained why on the ‘cast. He did offer some hilarious observations on the NFL though, which he follows closely. As promised this blog post updates that episode of The No Huddle.

RB Adrian Foster will likely play Sunday. Bad news if, like me, you picked up Ben Tate, though he could see a few carries particularly near the goal line.

Jaguars TE Mercedes Lewis id listed as doubtful. Hopefully you have a better TE option anyway, as Lewis is often very “streaky” in his numbers, as are a lot of TEs.

Just a hunch here, but it seems like WR Chad Ochocinco may be inspired to put up some numbers Sunday, to quiet the folks who went ape on him for his controversial (?) tweet. Apparently, he stated that he was impressed with his new team. Horror! Veteran players and broadcasters came out of the woodwork to put a verbal beat don on the man. Ocho remaind calm, and hopefully will get more involved in the passing game this week.

The Bengals did the right things at just the right time against the Browns, but are their offensive starters worth a look this Sunday? Yes. Denver is a tough place to play indeed, but the Broncos still look a little shaky. RB Ced Benson is a for sure go, and WR AJ Green is good start if you don’t have superstar to go in that slot on your roster. QB Andy Dalton will start, but he shouldn’t do so for you.

On the Bronocs sideline, RB Knowshon Moreno and WR Brandon Lloyd are questionable.

And it looks like we have a committee forming in Green Bay. RB James Starks is the sleeper favorite, as RB Ryan Grant under whelmed in his first game back since week one of last year.

WR Dez Bryant looks doubtful for Sunday. As for the rest of the Cowboys, yeah, Romo blew it Sunday night, but they all put up solid numbers and should do so again against a highly suspect San Francisco 49ers team.

WR Sydney Rice is out.

WR Santonio Holmes is questionable.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

The No Huddle Episode 11-01

The No Huddle Episode 11-01

It’s opening weekend in the NFL and, of course, fantasy football.

Costaki was on the podcast using his FF expertise to get us ready for week one. As promised this blog post updates that episode of The No Huddle.

Man oh, Manning

Oh look, turns out Colts’ owner Bill Irsay isn’t crazy, like the players said he was. Peyton Manning will likely miss the opener in Houston. Hopefully, you drafted a strong number 2 QB, because it looks like you’re going to need him. I of course drafted Reggie Wayne as my number 1 receiver. D’oh! Well, Colts back-up Curtis Painter has to throw to someone. Or Kerry Collins does. There seems to be some debate over who will start if Peyton indeed can’t go. At the time of this posting it’s looking like Collins, even though he didn’t take a snap in preseason, while Painter did.

Jag-ged Edge

The Jaguars have cut QB David Garrard. That means Luke McCown will start for Jacksonville. Unlikely anyone had Garrard starting (unless he was your back-up for Peyton Manning), but this does bring down the value of the Jags receivers, and perhaps even RB Maurice Jones-Drew.

Bear Finds New Roost

RB Chester Taylor thought he was cut August 29 by the Bears. He was not, and played in the preseason finale against Cleveland. He was cut September 5, but has found a home in Arizona. Should Beanie Wells not perform to expectations, Taylor could be the tonic. Keep your eye on that situation.

Raven Receiver

WR Lee Evans hopes to start Sunday, though he had been bothered by a sore ankle. Baltimore faces a tough Steeler D of course, so you may want a better option even if Evans can go. In other Ravens/Steelers news Pittsburgh NT Casey Hampton told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the Ravens “talk a lot.” Well done. Thanks for giving Baltimore more motivation.

Offensive Weapon

Will Plaxico Burress be a boom or bust? A guy in our league is convinced he got a steal on this pick. With Braylon Edwards gone to San Francisco Mark Sanchez will have to throw to someone a part form Santonio Holmes, who will probably draw a lot of attention from defenses.

Can Cam?

How long will the Panthers keep Cam Newton in as QB? When Peyton Manning came into the league, the Colts left him in all season, and took their lumps. That worked out pretty well in the long run of course. The Panthers’s other option are Jimmy Clausen, who they had little patience with last year, and ex-Browns, ex-Cardinals QB Derek Anderson.

Good luck in your games. Remember, you can stream, or download, The No Huddle at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.

The No Huddle Episode 11-P1

It’s season two of The No Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast!

“Mover” Scott Durbin from the Imagination Movers joined us on the podcast to discuss draft preparation. We also chatted about some of the unique rules the Movers use in their league. And if you haven’t drafted yet, here are five handy tips.

Don’t fall in love

So Reggie Wayne did well for you last year, and he’s still highly ranked. Draft with your head and not with your heart. Look at the situation carefully. Peyton Manning may not be 100% at the beginning of the season. Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie have emerged as targets in the Colt passing game, not to mention Dallas Clark. That being said, I of course drafted Reggie Wayne. He was still the best WR available, and we adopted points per reception (PPR) this season.

Know your league’s rules

Look at the scoring system, particularly for QBs. The default in most online leagues is 4 points per TD for a QB. If your league is 6 points (or higher even), factor that into your draft strategy. QBs are much more valuable in such a scenario.

Don’t wait until the end for a defense

Conventional wisdom says draft Ks and Ds last. Not a good idea, at least for defense/special teams. A good defense in most scoring systems can be worth a decent WR or RB. There are usually only 8 strong defenses, 4 more that are solid to o.k., and the rest that are pretty much rubbish. If people start grabbing Ds in your draft, get one.

Stay informed

Pre-season is meaningless, but you still need to keep up with the news out of training camp. The two things you want to pay attention to are injury reports, and who is moving up or down in a team’s depth chart.

A good TE vs. a top WR

There are about a half a dozen really good TEs that can put up WR-type numbers. Pay attention during your draft. If these guys start to disappear, consider grabbing one, even ahead of a WR. One note though; as with the RB and WR positions in recent years, committees are forming at TE. The Browns and Patriots are good examples. Both teams have two TEs that are utilized extensively in the passing game. Make sure your guy is the clear-cut number one on the depth chart.

Happy drafting. Episode 11-1 of The No Huddle should drop September 5. You can stream, or download at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.